


Stray Cats

by kiyala



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, Pining, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 10:41:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6113998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's one thing to end up sharing an apartment with your teammate-slash-friend with benefits. It's another thing entirely to actually develop a crush on him. Oikawa really doesn't want to make his life any harder than it already is by getting attached to the stray cat Kuroo's decided to adopt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stray Cats

"No," is the first thing Oikawa says when Kuroo walks in through the door with the stray cat nestled in the crook of his arm. " _No_. Are you listening to me? You don't get to take pets in, you don't even live here!"

"I pay rent," Kuroo points out, raising an eyebrow at Oikawa. "Also, I'm pretty sure you're wearing my shirt."

"I must have confused it with one of my own," Oikawa lies, feeling his ears turn as bright red as the shirt he's wearing, with NEKOMA emblazoned across it. "But no pets. _No cats_. Besides, you staying here is just a temporary thing."

"I know, but look at this poor guy," Kuroo holds the cat up, pouting. "What was I meant to do? Leave him on the street?"

Oikawa clicks his tongue. "Fine, but you're looking after him."

"Of course I am," Kuroo replies. "It's not like I'm going to just dump him in your lap or anything like that. Besides, I'll take him with me when I find my own place. It's just that you're allowed to keep pets here, and the poor thing looked so scared and hungry." 

Oikawa sighs loudly, turning away is that he doesn't have to look at Kuroo, or Kuroo's new cat. "As long as you know that I'm not going to help you take care of it. I don't even like cats."

"Of course you like cats," Kuroo says incredulously, his tone heavily implying that it's impossible not to, and for a moment, Oikawa wants to hate cats, just to prove him wrong. "But don't worry about it. The cat's my responsibility. Not yours. Promise."

Oikawa hums, satisfied. 

Somehow, he's not the slightest bit surprised when, the next morning, he's emptying a can of cat food into the plastic cat bowl on the kitchen floor as he waits for the coffee machine to do its magic. Kuroo bathed the cat yesterday and it looks much cuter when it's clean. Its fur is soft as Oikawa pets it, and he stands up properly when the coffee machine is done, to find Kuroo standing there, watching him.

"Wow, could you _please_ put some clothes on?" Oikawa protests, turning away.

"You put my boxers on," Kuroo replies. "Besides, it's nothing you haven't seen before. Or touched. Or—"

"Stop," Oikawa says, shaking his head. 

"Were you making friends with the cat?" Kuroo asks with a grin, clearly not the slightest bit self-conscious about how naked he is.

Oikawa can feel his ears burning as he frowns down at his mug of coffee. It's one thing to end up sharing an apartment with your teammate-slash-friend with benefits. It's another thing entirely to actually develop a crush on him. Oikawa really doesn't want to make his life any harder than it already is by getting attached to the stray cat Kuroo's decided to adopt. 

"You wish," Oikawa mutters. This is temporary. The cat's temporary, until Kuroo finds a place of his own. He's just here because his previous apartment was sold by the landlord with very little warning. He just hasn't had the time to look for a new place yet, but he _will_ and then he'll be gone. This is all temporary.

Maybe that's the problem.

Maybe that's why Oikawa can't let himself relax, the way he usually does around Kuroo. Maybe that's why their sex these days feels like it's edged with desperation instead of just being casual and fun. They're not talking about it, but at least they're not stopping either. That's good enough for Oikawa.

"Hey," Kuroo speaks up and he's closer now, still naked, and frowning. "I would've fed the cat when I woke up, you know. You just beat me to it."

Oikawa snorts quietly. "I know that. But he was awake and hungry and I wasn't going to make him wait. You were still passed out when I got up."

Kuroo smirks. "Yeah, well, you wore me out last night didn't you?"

Oikawa laughs, glad that at least this is familiar territory. "Here I thought you could keep up with me. Don't disappoint me, now."

"I never disappoint," Kuroo replies, which somehow leads to them fucking against the kitchen counter. It's probably the most unhygienic and domestic thing they've ever done together and Oikawa outright refuses to be moved by it, doesn't even let himself stop and appreciate the way Kuroo looks, pressed against the counter as they clutch at each other.

It's almost as if Kuroo belongs here, and Oikawa hates himself a little for thinking it. He pulls away from Kuroo when they're done, deciding that he should probably just escape to the shower and then avoid Kuroo and his own feelings for the rest of the day.

Instead, he ends up showering with Kuroo, making out under the hot spray of water. He traces his fingers over the scratch marks on Kuroo's arms, from yesterday's attempts at bathing the cat. Kuroo catches on, linking his fingers with Oikawa's and holding his hands still as they kiss.

"You've probably given me worse," Kuroo murmurs, and Oikawa probably shouldn't feel quite as proud as he does, but it makes him grin anyway.

They end up watching TV on the couch, leaning against each other as the cat nestles itself between them. Oikawa remembers making plans to avoid Kuroo today, or at least get enough distance between them so he can clear his head. This is very much the opposite of that, but he presses a kiss to Kuroo's jaw anyway, settling against him more comfortably. This is far too domestic for them, Oikawa thinks as he feels Kuroo's fingers combing through his hair, soft lips on his forehead. This isn't who they are, but Oikawa can't stop thinking that it _could_ be.

"Have you named your cat yet?" Oikawa asks, watching as Kuroo pats it.

"I was thinking Kenma The Second," Kuroo replies. "He kind of sleeps the way Kenma does, all curled up into a ball. I bet Kenma will love it."

Oikawa snorts. "Having a stray cat named after you. The dream." 

"Right?" Kuroo grins. "Kenma can be the godfather. If anything happens to me, the cat goes to you. If not you, then Kenma. It's all sorted out."

"I don't want your stupid cat," Oikawa protests, even as it climbs into his lap and nuzzles against him. Oikawa's expression softens as he strokes his fingers through the fluffy orange fur. "I'd be a terrible cat dad, wouldn't I sweetheart?"

Kuroo laughs. "You're not convincing anyone. You're not even convincing yourself."

With a huff, Oikawa shakes his head. "I'm not going to make friends with Kenma The Second only for us to be separated when you leave. That's only going to end in tears. Kenma The Second's tears, of course, have you _seen_ a cat cry before? They're—"

Kuroo cuts him off with a kiss, then pulls back to frown at him. "Is that what this is about?"

Oikawa smiles at him, and it feels thin and unconvincing, even to himself. "What?"

"You know…" Kuroo begins, then licks his lips and sighs heavily. "You know I'm not actively looking for a place of my own, don't you?"

"I know. You're busy."

"That's the excuse I gave you a month ago. During exam period. When I was already living here for two months." Kuroo huffs out a quiet laugh. "I'm not busy, you know. I'm not looking."

Oikawa rests his head back against the couch and sighs. "I know that."

"I will, if you want me to," Kuroo says. "I can go. I can find somewhere else."

Reaching for Kuroo's hand, Oikawa squeezes it tightly. "You can stay. I guess."

Kuroo grins, squeezing Oikawa's hand in return. There's relief in his expression, like he thought, even for a moment, that Oikawa actually wanted him gone.

"Kenma The Second, too," Oikawa says graciously. "Your cat can stay."

" _Our_ cat."

"Your cat," Oikawa replies, scratching his fingers through Kuroo's hair and feeling him melt a little under the contact. "Apparently, I already have one."


End file.
